This is the time to go underground and unrevealed the mysteries and riddles of caves world. Let’s explore the harmonious caves of Ajanta and Ellora, the word famous and amazing attraction of Maharashtra state that represent the golden period of art in ancient India. Wondrously situated into dense forested hillside rock, these caves belong to the ancient India and also believed to be carved by the monks.
It is quite unbelievable that how one can construct a building from a huge stone. These caves are dug out from a solid rock in horseshoe shape and regarded as a world heritage site. Known for rock cut temples, stunning architecture and paintings these caves attract tourists from different parts of the world and if you visit India but do not visit these caves then your trip will be incomplete.
They were built by Buddhist monks – these monks cut some amazing sculptures in the rock caves. These caves convey the aspects of the serenity, grace and nobility of Lord Buddha and his teachings. The carvings and the paintings in the caves portray the life of Lord Buddha. Along with this, several types of human and animal figures are also carved out of the rocks.
There are a number of reasons to visit these elegant and 3,000 years old caves. One of them is the peaceful location of these caves as they are situated on the top of mountains, in the mildest of dense forest.
The Ajanta Caves
Located just over 100 kilometers north of the city of Aurangabad, Ajanta, is comprised with 29 rock cut cave monuments spread over a vast area, which were constructed between 2nd century BCE to 600 CE. However, these caves had been almost forgotten over time, until they were found instantaneously in 1819 during a hunting trip by an army officer interestingly named Captain John Smith.
These scared Buddhist caves are shaped like a shoe and is perched at a height of 76 meters overlooking a stream linked to the Waghora River. The longest surviving murals, beautiful paintings and creative sculptures on these spectacular caves devoted to Lord Buddha and his several reincarnations and considered as some of the best Buddhist religious art wonder, the world has ever known.
More about Ajanta Caves visit:
The Ellora Caves
Ellora Caves also known as the sister cave of Ajanta are located 30 kilometers away from Aurangabad city. Ellora has about 34 caves (12 Mahayana Buddhist caves, 17 Hindu caves and 5 Jain caves). All these caves symbolize the three faiths of Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism. The caves are situated atop a steep mountain and depict the medieval period and the Buddhist era from 200 BC to 650 AD. It houses the great statues of Jain Tirthankaras, Pandavas, and other great Buddhist saints. It also owns the world’s most envious sculpture- the Kailash temple which is shaped by hand from a single huge rock.
So come and learn more about Buddhism. Also discover the mysteries of these caves and fall in love with the Architectural work.
